Granville car dealership fire: Jim Kelly to undergo mental health assessment in hospital

A disgruntled pensioner who allegedly chased staff at a western Sydney car dealership with a hammer and set the showroom floor on fire has made a bid for bail. Read the latest.

Police arrested a man after an incident at a car dealership in Granville.

A man who allegedly chased car dealership staff with a hammer and set the showroom floor on fire at Granville has been denied bail after a court heard about the “inexplicable’' allegations.

Jim Kelly, 69, was charged with three counts of using an offensive weapon to commit an indictable offence, three counts of common assault, malicious damage and damage property by fire after he allegedly terrorised staff at Granville’s MG car dealership on Tuesday morning.

Police were called to the car dealership on Church St about 10am following reports of a man “causing a disturbance”.

They allege the man threatened staff with a hammer and poured petrol in the showroom floor before igniting it. Employees extinguished the fire.

Paramedics treated a woman at the scene for minor smoke inhalation.

The car dealership is on Church St.

Kelly was arrested at the scene and was expected to face Parramatta Local Court on Wednesday when the matter was adjourned for him to undergo a mental health assessment in hospital.

On Friday, he returned via video link where his lawyer told the court there were no mental health problems despite the records stating he had been hospitalised twice.

She said while the allegations “certainly are bizarre”, he had a limited criminal history, could continue living with his partner of 13 years at Sadleir and find help with a medical practitioner.

The police prosecutor conceded Kelly’s criminal history from an incident in 2022 was limited but opposed bail and said most of the alleged incident was captured on CCTV.

Magistrate Brett Shields told the court he was “not persuaded” by the defence submissions to release Kelly who was charged with “serious and violent” offences.

“There’s no question the events … are very. very serious matters and involved an attack on a business … one (allegedly) containing petrol and a hammer,’’ he said.

The court heard the allegations were “inexplicable” and posed “very significant issues of public safety”.

The matter will return to court on August 6.